


I Consider Myself Married.

by Sexyfishtalk



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 15:19:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1309594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sexyfishtalk/pseuds/Sexyfishtalk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock's in the hospital, Mycroft's being cryptic, John's can't deny his feelings anymore, and there's a mysterious new guy on scene.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Previously posted on my ff page. It's now been cleaned up and is better than ever. Enjoy!

"So you have a boyfriend?"

"No."

That question, it really hadn't been John's attempt at flirting with Sherlock. Really. It hadn't! Why did no one ever just believe him? John had been trying to get acquainted with the man he'd potentially be living with. That was it. No ulterior motives whatsoever.

Yes alright, he could obviously had see the appeal Molly saw in Sherlock's unique features. John did have eyes after all, and it wasn't like John had any qualms about dating men. He just preferred women. Simple as that. Their round curves, and soft bodies, and dark curly hair that fingers could get tangled in, set a top cheekbones so sharp they could cut gla- no. No! He was not in- he didn't have those sort of feelings for Sherlock. They were mates. Mates don't fall for other mates. It's a rule, look it up.

Besides, Sherlock was too much for John. All that boundless energy. The constant need for a distraction. His quick wit, and sharp tongue. It was so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind that was Sherlock Holmes, and John craved the adventure that came with it. But a relationship? An honest to God relationship? With emotions and expectations? Even in his own head he knew it would never work. And why the hell was he even thinking about this? Sherlock was married to his work! He'd said so himself. Even if the rule about mates didn't exist, John would never have had a chance with him. He just didn't feel things that way. Did he? John didn't know. God, why was he so wound up today? He'd only had four cups of tea in the past hour, it couldn't have been tha- oh no, the tea. Was Sherlock experimenting with the tea again? John was going to kill him. Sherlock had promised to leave the tea alone after the incident with the wellies, and the giraffe. Come to think of it, where was Sherlock? John hadn't seen him all da- oh. Look at that. Think of the devil and the... devil's brother will... call you. "Finally run out of abandoned warehouses, Mycroft?"

"Humorous as usual Dr. Watson. No I am simply calling because I thought you would want to know that my brother has managed to land himself in the hospital."

"No he hasn't."

"Well then if it isn't Sherlock, someone should tell him his doppelganger is in surgery."

"I'm his emergency contact, the hospital would've called me if anything had happened."

"Dr. Watson, you're... not his emergency contact."

"What? Of course I am. Who else would be? I'm the closest thing he has to family... er no offence."

The pause that followed this was so long that John to check twice to make sure their connection hadn't been lost. 

"My God he never told you."

John frowned. "Told me. Told me what?"

"John... I think it would be best if you went to the hospital."

"What for? Mycroft, what going-"

-Click-


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My God he never told you. John, I think it would be best if you went to the hospital."
> 
> "What for? Mycroft, what goin-"
> 
> -Click-

John was standing in front of a hospital reception booth with his face buried in his hands. The nurse sitting in the booth stared at him with a steely resolve. "I'm sorry sir, but unless you're family, or an emergency contact I can't release-"

"Yes, yes I know!" John snapped. "You can't release any information to me, but I am family. Just- just not by blood, or anything... legal. I live with him though, we're colleagues. I wash his pants for crying out loud! That on its own should warrant me some sort of right. And it's Doctor, by the way, not sir."

"Well Doctor, as I said before, unless you are family, an emergency contact, or his doctor, I cannot give-"

"I am his doctor!"

"Then I am sure Dr. Williams will gladly fill you in once the paperwork has been approved. Now will you please go wait in the waiting room before I call security."

Sod this, John was going over their heads. He was going over all their heads, and it doesn't matter what anyone has to say because he isn't listening, so there.

"Come on, come on. Pick up you bastard!"

"Ah John." Mycroft's smug voice filtered through the speaker on John's phone. 

"Don't you John me, Mycroft! What bloody hell is going on? The hospital won't tell me because for whatever reason I'm not Sherlock's emergency contact."

"John, I-"

"I just told you, don't John me! I thought after I moved in it would just make sense if I took over being his emergency contact, I mean we're practically ma... look will someone please just tell me what's going on? Please?"

"John if you'll just-"

"For God's sake what part of Don't. John. Me, do you not understand? Just please explain-"

"Dr. Watson that is what I'm trying to do! Or at least it was. Clearly this is one conversation we should not have over the phone. I'm on my way to the hospital. I suggest you do as the nurse says. I believe he was serious about calling security." John thinned his lips. Of course Mycroft had seen the altercation.

He made his way to the OR waiting room which wasn't overly busy. In it, there was a young man of about thirty pacing in front of the vending machine and muttering nervously into his phone. Behind him, an elderly couple were sat with two small children who scribbling 'Get Better Soon Mummy.' on paper. And across from them were two blonde men close to John's age. One was slumped dead asleep while the other more anxious looking man stared blankly ahead while continuously twisting his wedding band around.

John dropped into a chair. His mind was whizzing with questions, mainly, why hadn't Sherlock called him? The detective's case must have gone array. Surely he'd have let John know if he'd suspected danger but, then again, maybe he wouldn't have. The thing was John really had no idea. They'd been living together for barely even a year. What did John really know about Sherlock?

John was pulled out of his reverie when a harried looking nurse in surgical scrubs marched through the doors. "Holmes," She called, "I'm looking for a Victor Holmes?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Holmes, I'm looking for a Victor Holmes?"

A tiny warning bell began to chime in the back of John's skull. 

It was fine. Everything was fine. Holmes wasn't an uncommon last name. There could be any number of people named Holmes in the hospital; everyone else in the room could be named Holmes for all John knew.

The pacing man snapped his phone shut, and with two strides was at the nurse's side. She led him a few meters away from the larger group, and spoke to him in quiet tones. 

Almost against his will John found himself walking nearer to the pair under the pretense of getting a snack from the vending machine.

This man... this Victor wasn't terrible on the eyes John noted. He was tall, not as tall as Sherlock but definitely taller than John. He had immaculately combed light brown hair, and deep brown eyes hidden behind a pair of dark framed glasses. He was lean and well toned, with a dark tan. Victor was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a red jumper clearly thrown on last minute. 

The warning bell got louder.

"...lock is doing..." Lock? She just said lock. It's alright it's still fine, lock could be anything. They're talking about hair. Of course that's what it meant. Lock as in hair. Perfect sense.

"... wound was deeper than..." By now the warning bell had morphed into a large clanging cowbell, and John was feeling sick to his stomach. 

"..few more hours." The nurse gave the man a gentle squeeze on the arm before exiting the room. John looked back at the line of crisp bags he had been thoroughly inspecting. He had just made the decision about actually purchasing a bag when someone grabbed a hold of him and threw John forcefully back against the wall.

Instinctively John pushed his weight forward offsetting his would-be attacker, which gave him the chance to spin them around and pin the other man against the wall with his arms.

The face of Victor Holmes glared back at him. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who the hell am I? You're the one grabbing people!"

"I saw you eavesdropping on the nurse and I. You're one of them aren't you? One of the gang members." Victor's attempted to push John's arm away, but John held firm.

"What are you talking about? What gang members?"

"The ones who attacked my idiot husband! Here to finish off the job? You're going to have to bloody well go through me first!" This threat would have been much more powerful, if John hadn't already proven he could easily get the upper hand on the man.

"Hus- looks there's been some sort of misunderstanding."

The sleeping blonde man had been awoken by their shouting and was nervously watching the both. He looked at his friend and began to stand. "I'm going to find a nurse."

"Oh, I don't think that will be necessary, Mr. Brown." Both John and Victor turned their heads to see Mycroft Holmes standing in the doorway with his ever present umbrella at his side. He peered at the two squabbling men with something akin to amusement. "Victor. John. If you'll follow me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oh, I don't think that will be necessary, Mr. Brown. Victor. John. If you'll follow me."

Mycroft led them down the hall to any empty room. The moment the door closed John rounded on the elder Holmes. "What is going on here Mycroft? No. You know what? I don't care. Just, will someone please tell me what happened to Sherlock?"

Before answering Mycroft made himself comfortable in one of the two chairs available in the room. "Introductions first I believe. Victor Holmes this is the infamous Dr. John Watson you've heard so much about. John this is-"

"Oh. Oooh God. You're the flat mate?" The man covered his face in embarrassment. He sat down in the chair across from Mycroft and John, not wanting to be the odd man out, plunked himself down onto the empty bed.

"Quite." Mycroft confirmed. "Now about Sherlock, from what the cameras around town picked up, it would appear that early this morning Sherlock was called in by Detective Inspector Lestrade for help on a case. While he was inspecting the crime scene Sherlock found evidence that, quote, 'any imbecilic four year old can see it points straight to the whereabouts of the criminals,' unquote. My dear brother being who he is, decided against waiting for the police and went after the gang himself. One spectacular foot chase later his opponent got the upper hand, and Sherlock had a knife in his abdomen. Oh and before you ask John, he did call up to you asking you to meet him at the yard before he left. You were of course still asleep at the time." Mycroft gave him a thin-lipped smile. "This is the part where it gets... delicate. John, it appears my brother neglected to mention a rather vital piece of information about himself. You see Sherlock has been in a committed civil partnership for the past three and a half years to Victor Holmes, nee Trevor. They are by every right... married to one another."

Silence.

Even more silence.

"Oh come on." Further continuation of the silence."Sherlock's not... not married! He would've- well actually he is, he's married to his work, he told me that practically the day we met!"

Victor snorted. "He really said that?" A softer expression passed over his face. The other two look at him and waited for him to elaborate. "That was sort of a private joke. When we first met, I was just starting out in the world of politics. A rather dangerous criminal organizations decided I must've been worth something. Lucky for myself, so did the British government. He took my kidnapping case as a favour to Mycroft."  
John let what Victor had said sink in. "You were his work."  
"I was his work. He quite literally, swooped in Batman style to save my life."  
This time it was Mycroft who looked nostalgic. "And so began the unusual courtship of Victor Trevor, and Sherlock Holmes."  
Victor grinned, but John continued to frown. "Why am I- if he's married to you, why did Sherlock need a flat mate? I mean there's not even a damn photo of you anywhere in the house!"

Victor was silent. He looked at John as if he was sizing him up. After a minute he nodded and began to speak again. "The thing about Sherlock is, he's... not good... on his own. He needs someone." Victor tugged at the hem of his shirt sleeve. "About a year after we exchanged vows, I got promoted. The position, it involves a lot of traveling. A whole lot of traveling. My career would've been over if I didn't accept it, and if I had my way Sherlock would have come with me but... but he wouldn't have been happy with a life on the road like that. "

John couldn't really argue with that statement. Sherlock would've have gone mad within a month if he'd been forced to parade around the world without even the chance of a case to keep him interested. "But-"

"You've seen Sherlock's work, yeah? The sort of people it attracts?" John nodded in response to the question. "Well the ones I attract aren't much better. We've had a lot of close calls. It's made it difficult for us to trust many people with the knowledge of the full extent of our relationship." 

Victor's words hurt John more than he dared admit. He hadn't known Sherlock for long but he had honestly believed that Sherlock would have at least trusted him enough to keep a secret like that.  "I've been living in close proximities with the man for nearly seven months. I've never even heard your name before."

Mycroft cleared his throat. "Might I point out that this is Sherlock Holmes we're dealing with. There's every chance he told you in minute detail about his marriage to Victor, John. You just may not have been home at the time."

"That's... that's actually really very plausible isn't it?" John sighed. 

"Yes. It is." Victor crossed his arms. "God. I'm going to kill him. I'm really really going to kill him. He shouldn't have gone off on his own like that. Having you for a colleague was supposed to prevent this sort of thing!"

The smallest of smiles tugged John's mouth. For the first time that night he took a minute to fully look at Victor. What he saw there was undeniable. "You really do love him don't you?"

"Wouldn't have married the git if I didn't."

At that moment the same nurse as before appeared at the door. "Oh Mr. Holmes there you are. Sherlock's just come out of surgery, he'll be waking up in a few minutes if you want to go see him."

All three men began to rise from their perches. The nurse raised her hand. "I'm very sorry sirs, but only two visitors are permitted at this time."

Mycroft grabbed his umbrella. "Just as well. My business here this evening is concluded. Victor, always a pleasure. John, I'll be seeing you soon." Both men nodded to Mycroft as the nurse led them in the opposite direction away from him towards a private room where Sherlock was clearly just beginning to stir.

"Sherlock?" John called quietly from the doorway.

Sherlock's bleary eyes settled on the two men. He let out a pleased hum. "Victor."

Victor rushed over to the side of the bed. John stayed where he was. "I can't leave you alone for five minutes can I?" Victor breathed. 

"No that was very stupid of you. Don't ever do it again."

"I won't I promise." Victor placed a tender kiss on his forehead and raked his hand through Sherlock's unruly hair. "What am I going to do with you?"

A wicked little smirk played at the corners of Sherlock's lips. His husband placed a finger on his mouth before he had a chance to reply. "Ah no. That thought was much too indecent to be said in public."

"Spoilsport."

Neither man had yet to break eye contact with the other. It was clear to John now that he was intruding on a reunion that could very well be labeled as intimate. He watched them for a moment longer trying desperately to ignore the want, the need to be the one on the receiving end of those loving, tender looks Sherlock gave to Victor.

Swallowing back his feelings, John left the room.

"They're very happy John."

"I know."

Mycroft stepped from the shadows he had been lurking in. "Their relationship may not be ideal, but they've made it work."

"I know."

"I can only imagine what harm it would do to Sherlock if anyone was to try and get between them."

John turned to stare Mycroft straight in the eye. "I know." 

With that John took his leave. No matter what John's feelings for the detective were, he knew he would never try anything now that he knew the truth. Victor was the one Sherlock had chosen. John was just the friend.

It was better this way.

Really.

It was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End. I'm thinking of writing a follow up story but I'm not sure if I will or not yet. I'll keep you posted if I do decide to. Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a comment!


End file.
